Kildee Calls For States To Follow Federal Ethics And Transparency Rules

(MPRN-Lansing) As Governor Rick Snyder prepares to deliver his seventh State of the State address, a potential candidate to replace him has called for ethics rules that would align Michigan with what the federal government requires.

Congressman Dan Kildee (D-Flint) has proposed a federal law to require state lawmakers to disclose their sources of income and possible conflicts of interest. That’s the same standard applied to members of Congress.

“Some state governments, Michigan, unfortunately, among them, just don’t get it when it comes to standards of ethics and transparency,” said Kildee.

Michigan is ranked at or near the bottom of states when it comes to disclosing conflicts of interest by elected officials. States that don’t adopt the same standards under the Kildee bill would lose funding for some federal programs.

Kildee is expected to announce soon whether he will seek the Democratic nomination to run for governor next year. Former state Senate minority leader Gretchen Whitmer has already announced.

On the Republican side, Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley and state Attorney General Bill Schuette are eyeing a run. Governor Snyder is expected to focus on transportation, education, and infrastructure in his seventh State of the State address.

(MPRN-Lansing) The Freedom of Information Act could be changing in Michigan. A House committee approved a bill Thursday that would prevent public bodies like the government from suing someone that requests information through a FOIA request.